Lead is a naturally occurring bluish-gray metal found in the earth's crust. Lead can be found in all parts of our environment and has many different uses. Missouri was at one time the global leader in lead production. Even today some of the largest lead deposits in the world are located in southeast Missouri. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources and other state and federal agencies are working to prevent or reduce lead releases to the environment. This website contains information about lead mining in Missouri, state and federal regulation of lead sites, Missouri's strategy for dealing with impacts from lead contamination and links to additional information about lead.
